The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-16
A CROOKED STICK STRENGTHENED.
A Teachers Management OF an Unru'y
schoofboy--A New Creature


I had an ugly, unruly boy In my room,
and he gave me more trouble than all the
rest OF the class. All through the dilier,
ent grades Of the large grammar schooi
he had been a terror TO his teachers, ana
he was hurried on to the next teacher
with surprising alacrity and precision
He never lacked promotion. When IN
berited him felt as If Nemesis had over
taken me, and just how to control MN
and secure any kind Of work from MN
was a problem long wrestled with. FOR
several weeks he was the terror OF the
room. and my reputation for good order
and dignity was, felt, fast disappearing.
The boy would not obey unless ne ieit
like II, and punishments had no elect
ON him. He was there, he knew he was
there; he had a reputation to sustain; he
had earned it by several years close ap-
plicatiOn to wrong doing, ana ne meant
TO maintain il at all hazards.
Ii is unnecessary TO narrate his pranks.
Every teacher has had such boys, and VIII
readily recognize this one. Every plan
evolved for the regeneration Of the boy
proved abortive. He wouldn't reform.
Finally. by accident, | stumbled on the
cure. am not ashamed TO say that 1t was
an accidental plan, for il was one Of those
unexpected things that philosophers tell
us are bound To come 10 pass.
| discovered that he was interested IN
his drawing, or rather was interested IN
sketching odd bits of scenery, or objects
in the ROOM not even emitting his re
spected teacher, who was a typical school
marin and wore glasses. ] resolved 10
make the most Of this one talent-if tai
ent it was-and SO one day, when | was
in my best aud sweetest mood, asked the
terror if he would not draw IA plan for
some shelves | wanted put up in my
closet He assented, and the sketch was
neatly and accurately made. There was
a new look in his eyes and new expires
sion on his face when he gave me the pa
per on which his drawings were made.
Then advanced slowly and cautiously
| needed some maps made, following a
new invention OF mine in cartography. and
again employed the terror and again the
result was encouraging The maps were
models Of neatness and precision ! Ju
diciously praised him, and exhibited Tie
maps TO the class aud called for copies.
None ever equaled lis, and his joy was
complete.
We were Studying the continent Of Asia,
and the terror never had bis geography
lesson learned but when / suggested that
if he were 10 keep mp his reputation in
drawing he must draw the details If the
country he was sketchng, geography be-
came new stu ly e. him, and he easily
made excellent progress ia this branch.
TO do this he had 20 forego some Of his
"foolng business, " ana il was given ul
simply because he had something more a.
his liking 10 DO
In fine and 10 the point, the terror came
ont Of his chrysalis state "a new creature
His old ways were left, and he readily
adopted the better method Of doing and
living From q slouchiDg, unkempi, uu-
couth, shambling horrid boy. he emerged
into being a respectable, neat, tidy order
loving, painstakiug and industrious young
man / had found that there was some
thing he could do. and something be liked
TO DO. and that was all there was 10 d.
49, doing something worth the doing he
had no time or liking for doing what was
not worth the doing and mischief became
no longer the object Of his existence --
Winthrop in American Teacher.